Railroad-switch heel-block structure



LESQS@ June 22 y 1926o P. E. GERHARD RAILROAD SWIITCH HEL BLOCK STRUCTURE Filed March 25, 1926 ATTORNEY l E .i y

JEU-JUL GERHARD, @l LEBANON',

PENNSYLVMA, ASSGNOR T LEBANON lltrLROAD-S'WT-IE HEEL-:BLOCK STRUCTURE.

Application led March 25,

This invention relates to a railroad switch and heel block structure. lts object is to strengthen and to increase the durability and safety of a working assemblage of a e' inain track rail, a switch rail section or sections and an interposed heel block..

lin the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof and illustrating nay invention,

l? ig. l is a top plan view of a railroad U switch and heel block structure embodying this invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of my new heel block, top-side down and shows the construction of the under side of the heel block.

lFig. 3 is an end elevation with the track and switch rails in transverse cross section at line 3 3 of lqig. 1 and shows iny new heel block in a working assemblage..

ln the drawings, heel block A is a charnbered steel casting open on its under side., The block, in use, is located, as heretofore, between main rail B and a stationary switch rail section D, and a switch point rail D. il The rail B, stationary section D and interposed heel block A are rigidly connected together horizontally by bolts E severally provided with a nut, the bolts passing through the rail webs and the side walls of the heel block. rEhe heel block sides taper in the direction of the free end of the switch point rail:I y

My new heel block is a chambered, steel casting open on its under side and formed with a roof wall l which is preferably iinperforate, the roof wall being between upwardly projecting, lengthwise extending, corner marginal walls 2. 'llhe block is cast with side walls 3 provided, along their length, with opposed, spaced apart, bolt Aholes 4c; with end walls 5 and dependent from the roof wall and between the sides 3, with a series of transverse, spaced apart, vertical webs 6. The end walls and webs have the same contours and dimensions., The under edges of the end walls and webs are preferably upwardly recessed between their ends for diminution of weight. Y,llhe under edge ends of the end walls and webs, along each side of the casting, slant upwardly and outwardly at l to forni discontinuous bear-I ings for a rail base flange a. These bearings 'i are in alinernent one with another and severally inerge `with the under, lengthwise Serial' No. 97,162.

vheight from the bearing surfaces at 'i' and 8 and are so di1nensioned,relatively to the dimension of the main rail, the switch rail section and the switch point rail, between the upper surface a of each said base Hangs with which the block contacts, and the thereabove, under, overhanging surface a of a rail head, as to leave a clearance at w between the margins 2 and the opposed rail head surfaces.

rllhus the rail block bearings 7 and 8 rest on and bear against their opposed rail base flanges, out of contact with the overhanging surfaces of the rail heads.

The outside surfaces of the block sides 3 are shaped and dirnensioned to lit and bear against a rail web 9, along each side of the block. lin the working assemblage, the block sides are clamped against the rail webs, forming a transverse, strain kresisting structure in which the under, lengthwise edges of the block are clamped downwardly against the opposed rail base flanges by the clainp bolts, the clearance at preventing any upward thrust of the block against overhanging portions ofthe rail head.

As herein shown, the main rail, the switch rail section, the switch point rail at its butt end portion, andthe interposed heel block are all rigidly clamped together. This is in accordance with the practice of some railways'v when the switch point rail is of considerable length. A different and well known practice is to clamp the main rail 'lll and the heel block rigidly Atogether and to hold the butt end of the switch point rail in a relatively loose relation to that end portion of the interposed heel block which is laterally opposed to the butt end portion of the switch point rail.

Advantages of the present invention are: My relatively light weight, cast steel heel veo . ing an blocks are practically free from liability to transverse fracture in consequence ofthe wave motion of the rails and variations in solidity of the road bed. The clearances at w not only to relieve the oyerhanging rail head portions of upward and outwardly acting thrusts but, as the clearances are ue to the reduced dimension of the height of the block, make the blocks adapted for location between rail base flanges and head ianges notwithstanding variations in Cross sectional rail contour. The long sides of my new blocks being in direct contact with the rail webs strongly stii'en and support the webs, making a laterally stiffer and safer switch structure. The distribution of the separated, slanted bearing surfaces 7, relieves the heel block, to an important extent, from transverse strains arising in consequence of rail wave motions and variations in roadbed solidity.

Heel .blocks have heretofore been made of solid cast iron transversely provided with bolt holes drilledthrou h the solid blocks. This involved undue abor and expense.

In my new block, the bolt holes are coredl in the casting whereby all machine work in relation to the formation of the bolt holes is eliminated. Such older cast iron blocks `were made with frequent openings from to to bottom for reduction of weight. Suoi vertical openings received water and snow, and mud formed in them, whereby the walls of the holes were subjected to undesirable oxidation. Under freezing conditions, these vertical holes are apt to become iilled with ice which, expanding, tends to crack the blocks and frequent y does so. It is for such reason that the roof wall is preferably im erforate, as shown.

'llhe upward and outwardly slanted bearsurfaces 7 and 8 are slanted to match tit the 'upwardly and inwardly slanting, upward surfaces a of the rail base flanges at each side of a rail web; and the bolt holes through the rail webs and through the heel block sides are so located and the bolt Shanks are so dimensioned that when the lmembers are bolted together, the bearings 7 and 8 are held downwardly and clam ingl against the rail base flanges where y t 1e upper, lengthwise extending, marginal walls 2 are ke t out of contact with the rail heads.

Vhat I claim is:

1`. In a railwa switch and heel block structure, the com ination of a main rail: n stationary switch rail section; a switch point rail and a chambered heel block open on its under side; the heel block having long side walls one of which is partiall switch rail section and also partially opposed to the web and a base ange of t e switch oint rail and the other of which is oppos lengthwise to' the main rail web opposed to 4the web and a base flange oft e stationary and base flange; one side wall of the heel block bearing against the main rail web and its Vadjacent base flange and its other side wall bearing against the web and a base flange of the stationary switch rail; the opposite, under, lengthwise extending edges of the side Walls of the heel block being provided with bearing surfaces bearing on the rail base flanges; the webs of the main, stationary and switch point rails being formed with bolt holes and the heel block side walls being formed with transversel alined bolt holes registering with the bo t holes through said webs; and clamp bolts through the bolt holes in the web and block sides, effective to clamp the heel block side walls to the main and stationary switch rail and operative to connect the block sides with the web of the switch point rail and to hold the under edge, bearing surfaces of the heel block against rail base ianges, with the upper, lengthwise, marginal walls of the heel block out of Contact with the rail heads.

2. In a railway switch and. heel block structure, the combination of a main rail; a stationary switch rail section; a switch point rail and a chambered heel block open on its under side; the heel block havlng long side walls one of which is partially opposed to the .web land a base flange of the stationary switch rail section and also par.- tiall opposed to the web and a base flange of t e' switch point rail and the other of which is opposed lengthwise to the main rail web and base ange; one side wall of the heel block bearing against the main rail web Sil and its adjacent base flange and its other` side wall bearing against the web and a base flange of the stationary switch rail; the 0pposite, under, lengthwlse extending edges of the side walls of the heel block being pro.- vided with bearin surfaces bearing on the rail base flanges; t e webs of the main,sta'

tionary and switch point rails bein formed with bolt holes and the heel block side walls being formed with transversely alined bolt holes registering with the-bolt holes through said webs; and clamp bolts through the bolt holes in the web and block sides, effective to cla-mp the heel block side walls to the main and stationa switch rail and operative to connect the b ock sides -with the web of the switch point rail and to hold the' under edge, 'bearin surfaces of the heelI block against rail inse fianges, with ,the upper, lengthwise, marginal walls of the heel ock out of contact with the rail heads; said chambered heel block being provided with integral end wallsand between the end walls with integral, transverse, spaced apart webs in a dependent series, said webs severally having, at their under corner` portions, bearing surfaces resting on the rail lian es.

3. In la railwa switch and hee block structure, the com ination of a main rail; a

llO

Aweb and block sides, edective to clam stationary switch rail section; a switch- .to the web and a base ange et the stationary switch rail sectien and also partially opposed to the web and a base flange of the switch point rail and the other of which is opposed lengthwise te the main rail web and base flange; ene side wall. of the heel block bearing against the main rail web and its adjacent base ilange and. its .other side wall bearing against the web and a base flange of the stationary switch rail; the opposite, under, lengthwise extending edges of the side walls ot the heel block. being provided with bearing surfaces bearingon the rail base flanges; the webs of the main, stationary and switch `peint rails being formed with bolt holes and the heel block side walls being formed with transversely alined bolt holes registering with the bolt holes through said webs; and clamp bolts through the bolt holes in .te t e heel bleclr` side walls to the main an staticnary svvitchrail and operative to connect the bleclt sides with the web of the switch point rail and to hold the under edge, bearf ing surfaces of the heel block against rail base flanges, with the upper, lengthwise, Inarginal walls ont the heel block out of contact with :rail heads; said chambered heelv blcclr being provided with integral end walls and between the end walls with integral, transverse, spaced apart webs in'a dependent series, said webs severally having, at their under corner ortions, bearing surfaces resting on the rail anges; such bearing sur-- faces severally mei-gino with an under edge 'et a -side wall ont the block, and the under edge olf` each such side wall forming a continnous bearing resting on a rail base lange.

l. ln a railway switch and heel block structure, the combination of a main rail; a stationary switch railsection; a switch poinr rail and a chambered heel block open on its under side; the heel block having-long side walls ene ef which is partially opposed to the web Iand a baseflange of the stationary switch rail section and also partially opposed to the web and a base Hangs of the switch point rail and the other of which is opposed lengthwise to the rnain rail web and base flange; one side wall of the heel block bearing against the main rail web and its adjacent base flange and its other side wallbearing against the web and a base flange of the stationaryA switch rail; the opposite, under, lengthwise extending edges ofthe side walls of the heel block being provided with bearing `surfaces bearing on the rail base anges; the webs of the maln, stationary and switch point rails being formed with bolt holes and the heel block side walls being formed with transversely alined bolt holes registering with the bolt lholes through s'aid webs; and clamp bolts through the bolt holes in the web and block sides, el'ective to clamp the heel block side walls to the main and stationary switch rail and operative to connect the block sides with the web of the switch point rail and to hold the under edge, bearing surfaces of the heel block against rail base flanges, with the upper, lengthwise, marginal walls of the heel block out of contact with the rail heads; said chambered heel block being provided with integral end walls and between the end walls with integral, transverse, spaced apart webs in a dependent series, said webs severally having, at their under corner portions, bearing surfaces resting on the rail linges; such bearing surfaces severally merging with an under edge of aside wall of the block, and the under edge of each side wall forming a continuous bearing resting on a rail base flange; the chambered heel block being formed with an imperforate roof wall having lengthwise extnding margins projecting above the root wa 5. For railway switches, a chambered, cast.

steel heel block openen its under side and formed with an imperforate roof wall; lengthwise extending, opposite marginal walls projecting above the roof wall; opposite, lengthwise extending side walls; end walls; and, between the end walls, with a series of spaced apart, transversewebs; the under outward end portions of the end Walls and webs merging into side wall, under edges; the end portions ofthe end wals and said under edges, some at one side and others atthe other side of the blockchalnber, slanting upwardly and outwardly and forming, at each side of the chamber, a lengthwise extending series of rail base flange bearings.

Signed at Lebanon in the county of Lebanon and State of Pennsylvania this 18th day of March, A. D. 1926.

PAUL EUGENE GERHARD.

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